ABSTRACT
The following contribution presents some findings deriving from the research project "Sport is Society" by Politecnico di Milano. The research reflects on the built heritage and its ability to be accessible and usable for different users with different needs in its structures and offer of services, focusing on sports activities and spaces. The study refers to collective ecclesiastical structures in the contemporary city. The research in this area demonstrates the possible degrees of innovation regarding the increase in the inclusiveness of private facilities with a public vocation, where sport represents a driver of social inclusion for the community. The research proposes advice to guarantee inclusive sports facilities for the community, highlighting the strict relationship between the inclusive city and the ecclesiastical heritage, as an emerging issue to be investigated and solved. Starting from its relevance and the potential of the structures to become a truly "accessible patrimony", the tool suggests strategies for policymakers and ecclesiastical administrations to make them become "open services" - usable and accessible by all - for and inside the urban community.
Subject(s)
Sports , CitiesABSTRACT
The paper deals with the issue of social inclusion in the scholastic environment where children begin to learn the set of rules that manage social life. The design of the spaces impact on people and becomes crucial to address a community behavioural change in terms of social inclusion. In line with Universal Design strategy, the paper presents a method developed for evaluating the degree of inclusion of primary schools' spaces, which consists of the definition of an evaluation matrix. The matrix makes possible to analyse quantitative-qualitative characteristics for each school and compare them objectively. It asses the level of accessibility and inclusion of the schools through four main categories (Outdoor space, Orientation, Movement, Spatial quality) and related criteria and indicators. The reliability of the evaluation matrix has been verified through its application in seven case studies (Italian and EU), and the analysis of one of them is described in the results. The present study proposes a basis to introduce a method able to support designing educational spaces that satisfy the needs of a wide range of users according to Universal Design strategy.